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General Hospital’s Jonathan Jackson ‘Excited’ to Confirm the Reunion That’s Been a Long Time Coming
The former soap star and Daytime Emmy winner has exciting news for fans.
The last time viewers saw Lucky in Port Charles was back in 2015 when he saved his parents, Luke and Laura, by shooting Frank Smith and later revealed that his son Jake wasn’t dead as everyone believed. Though his portrayer, Jonathan Jackson, won’t be returning to General Hospital any time soon, some fans will have a way to connect with the former daytime star during a new Nashville Reunion Tour!
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Jackson, who played musician/bad-boy Avery Barkley on Nashville, which premiered on ABC in 2012 and ended on CMT in 2018, announced via social media that he and a few of his former castmates will be setting off for the United Kingdom this October.
More: Soap vet gives update on real-life son
“This has been in the works for a while,” he revealed. “I’m thrilled to announce that the Nashville cast and I are reuniting for a special UK tour this October! I’m excited about this!”
Those joining Jackson will be Clare Bowen (Scarlett), Charles Esten (Deacon) and Sam Palladio (Gunnar), and this isn’t the first time stars from the series have gone on toured. 2014 and 2015 brought successful tours in the United Kingdom and Ireland followed by dates in the U.S. in 2016, as well as in 2017 with a final tour back in the United Kingdom in 2018.
Presale tickets go on sale today, Tuesday, March 7, and with any luck, maybe, just maybe (fingers crossed!) we’ll get to see some shows in the U.S. However, as of yet, none have been scheduled.
Feel free to leave us your favorite Lucky and/or Avery moments in the comment section then look through our gallery below featuring then-and-now photos of former General Hospital faves.
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Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, John P. Iblis/JPI
1/26
<p>Even all these years later, the Grammy winner (for 1982’s “Jessie’s Girl”) may still consider himself “working-class,” but the singer-actor who scrubbed in as Noah Drake in the ’80s is no “dog.”</p>
Image: Disney General Entertainment Content/Getty Images (2)
2/26
<p>The over-the-top life that Tracy Quartermaine has lived would turn anyone’s hair white — as it has for the MVP who’s played her off and on since 1978.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, CBS
3/26
<p>Nailed it! Long after making a lasting impression as well-taloned Lois Cerullo in the ’90s, the soap-hopper started playing Quinn Forrester on a show that all but defined her brand: <em>The Bold and the Beautiful.</em></p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Howard Wise/JPI
4/26
<p>Eat your heart out, McDreamy! Decades after the future <em>MacGyver</em> star made hearts race as Dr. Jeff Webber, he still has to be steered clear of patients in danger of having handsomeness-induced palpitations.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Jill Johnson/JPI
5/26
<p>Cast as Emily <span style="text-decoration: line-through">Bowen</span> Quartermaine at age 11, the trail-blazer has gone on to become a primetime lead (<em>Joan of Arcadia</em>), a movie star (<em>The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</em>) and an author (<em>Dark Sparker</em>).</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI (2)
6/26
<p>Since his off-and-on run as JV mobster Johnny Zacchara, the leading man has lost none — and we mean <em>none</em> — of his boyish charm as he’s moved on to <em>Days of Our Lives</em> as ill-fated Stefan and then Jake DiMera.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Dee Cercone/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
7/26
<p>When the future Daytime Emmy winner debuted as Brenda Barrett, she had talent to spare. And by the time she last appeared on the daytime drama, let’s be real — she didn’t just <em>have</em> it, she <em>owned</em> it.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Derek Storm/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
8/26
<p>Talk about getting Lucky! The five-time Emmy winner not only laid claim to the key role of <em>General Hospital</em> supercouple Luke and Laura’s son, he went on to star in primetime’s <em>Nashville</em>.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Howard Wise/JPI
9/26
<p>The English rose was lovely when she made her <em>General Hospital</em> debut in the 1980s, but c’mon, the future<em> Models Inc.</em> vixen really blossomed as Holly Sutton later. And the best may be yet to come…</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Jill Johnson/JPI
10/26
<p>The MVP who originated the role of Nikolas Cassadine had the world at his feet — including a pivotal part on <em>Days of Our Lives</em> — until his demons got the better of him. (<a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/626830/general-hospital-tyler-christopher-dead-three-times-alcohol-abuse/" target="_blank">Read his story here.</a>)</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI, ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, ABC
11/26
<p>They say that you never forget your first love, and heaven knows we’ve never forgotten Robin Scorpio’s — Stone Cates. Her portrayer’s now an in-demand director; his is a high-end real-estate agent.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, NBC
12/26
<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ “Sweetness” soured in 1990s, leaving behind Kayla Brady for a few years to stir the pot in Port Charles as scheme queen Katherine Bell.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Gilles Toucas/CBS
13/26
<p>No wonder A.J. Quartermaine came back from the dead — only the <em>good</em> die young! After the black sheep was killed off for a second time, his portrayer returned to <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> as naughty Deacon Sharpe.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Jill Johnson/JPI
14/26
<p>The three-time Emmy winner so dazzled as the first Carly Benson that the future <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> and <em>Days of Our Lives</em> leading lady was eventually returned to Port Charles as lady mobster Claudia Zacchara.</p>
Image: Paul Aussenard/WireImage/Getty Images, Jill Johnson/JPI
15/26
<p>Like Brown before her, this future Emmy winner made such an impression as Carly 2.0 that years later, she was invited to make the rounds again as Dr. Kim Nero.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Jill Johnson/JPI
16/26
<p>There do exist pop-culture aficionados who think of the actor in association with <em>Full House</em>, <em>ER</em>, <em>Jake in Progress</em> or countless other primetime series. But to <em>General Hospital</em> devotees, he’ll always be Blackie Parrish.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Denis Guignebourg/JPI
17/26
<p>Whether then or now, nobody ever sulked better than the veteran soap-hopper who brought to bat-[bleep]-crazy life Heather Webber, the maddest hatter ever to touch down in Port Charles.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Derek Storm/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
18/26
<p>After <em>Star Wars</em>, Luke Skywalker’s portrayer could write his own ticket. But before that, he had to pay his dues as Port Charles’ teenage dream Kent Murray… who, sadly, never did get his own Corvette summer.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Jill Johnson/JPI
19/26
<p>Since her 1990s stint(s) as Brenda’s sophisticated sister, Julia Barrett, this actress has given up the profession to coach stars ranging from <em>SEAL Team</em>’s David Boreanaz to Paula Abdul.</p>
Image: James Atoya/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, ABC, Priscilla Grant/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
20/26
<p>After their runs as 1990s sweethearts Jagger Cates and Karen Wexler, he went on to run for Congress and work for Chippendales (because those <em>totally</em> go together), and she appeared on <em>This Is Us</em> and web soap <em>The Bay.</em></p>
Image: ABC, Howard Wise/JPI
21/26
<p>Port Charles was but a pit stop to the soap-hopper who played conniving Ginny Blake in the ’80s. She’d go on to rock <em>Days of Our Lives</em> (in not one but two roles!) and <em>The Young and the Restless</em>, where she steals every scene she’s in as card-carrying scamp Gloria Fisher.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Jill Johnson/JPI
22/26
<p>The last of the half-dozen actors to “play doctor” as Steve Hardy’s son, Tom, this soap-hopper ultimately wound up back on <em>Days of Our Lives</em>, where since the late 1980s, he’s been that daytime drama’s most popular Jack Deveraux.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI, Denis Guignebourg/JPI
23/26
<p>More boy next door than leading man during his 2003-07 run as Dillon Quartermaine, this future Emmy winner has called <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> home since 2010 (and the role of Liam Spencer his own).</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Howard Wise/JPI
24/26
<p>Frisco Jones was only the beginning for the “All I Need” singer. He went on to star on primetime’s <em>Melrose Place</em> and make himself at home among <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> as sea-worthy Nick Marone.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, ABC screenshot
25/26
<p>These days, it’s a treat any time the soap legend shows up as Lesley Webber. But from 1973-84, she simply <em>was General Hospital</em> as the drama magnet who brought Laura into the world.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection, Jill Johnson/JPI
26/26
